Are you moving to another country? Whether you’re doing an internship, going abroad, moving abroad to volunteer, or doing an academic exchange, you must start to plan your stay abroad ahead of time. These moving tips can help make moving to another country easy for any university student. Many study abroad programs include many benefits, such as student discounts on international flights or meals, but there’s a lot more to consider before moving abroad for studies. 

Top 5 Things Your Move-in Checklist Should Include

Moving to another country can be difficult, especially for a university student with little or no experience living outside their home country. Referring to a guide for university essentials  can be useful, making moving abroad a smooth sail. Check out these moving tips to prepare for your journey abroad. 

1. Travelling Documentation – Passport, Visa & Flight tickets 

Your document is the number one thing you need to take care of before moving abroad. Having your documents in order should be the first thing on your move-in checklist. You’d be shocked how many people plan a trip to move abroad or study overseas without checking if their passport or visa is still valid, without resorting to any moving tips. Frequent flyers have their documents in order but often forget to double-check their flight ticket details.

To avoid this, make sure to tick these off your move-in checklist before moving to another country:

• Your passport is valid for at least six months after your expected return date.
• Check for visa requirements for your country of destination -especially for visa-on-arrival.
• Use a flight search engine to find the best fare, but purchase within the airline’s website to double check dates & what your ticket includes.‍

2. Find Your Preferred Student Accommodation 

If you are moving to another country, you must sort out your student accommodation. Finding safe, affordable long-term student accommodation in a good location can be difficult, but not impossible when moving abroad. One way is to try and find local leasing websites, but if you’re moving to another country that doesn’t speak your native tongue, tips like learning the basics of the national language can be a great help.

Most moving tips will also suggest using the university’s social media groups. However, using an online platform designed for students studying abroad is probably your best choice when moving to another country. Trusted booking platforms can help you find suitable student accommodation when moving abroad. 

• Using a student accommodation platform, you can book shared student rooms or even student houses in 2-5 days. 
• You also receive support and moving tips from an executive for all of your processes.
• If you are moving to another country, visiting the property before moving in can be difficult. Student accommodation platforms can help arrange a virtual property tour before moving abroad. 
• In addition, booking your student accommodation through a platform can not only guarantee it’s affordable for students but that it’s also safe and convenient. 

When the time comes to decide where you’re going to stay abroad, we highly suggest you use an accommodation platform. You’ll have a great room in three easy steps: decide where you’re going, find a place you like, and file the paperwork!

3. Student Insurance

Once you’ve ticked off the above from your move-in checklist, it is time to take care of your student insurance. Most students have private or university insurance or are covered by their government’s healthcare system. But before you move abroad, check your insurance policy to see if you are covered overseas. This is a must-have on your move-in checklist!

If you have applied for an internship, or are simply moving abroad to study, check with your agency or institution to see if they will provide insurance. If they do not offer student insurance, do the same as with your student accommodation, and make sure you use top-notch services. Don’t cheap out - make that a thumb rule on your move-in checklist!

4. Student Finances 

After you’ve covered the cost of the most important things for your study abroad journey, it’s time to plan a budget with the rest! Moving abroad can be expensive, so finding a way to manage your student finances can be a great way to prevent overspending. This budget should help you sort out your student finances before you go abroad.

To create a budget, consider these categories in your move-in checklist:

• Groceries – Plan how much you’d spend per week, then multiply that by 5 to get a month’s total.
• Transportation – Considering you’ve booked student accommodation by now, check how you need to get to your internship or university and how much it will cost you daily. Then, double it for the weekends.
• Emergency fund – Consider what would be an emergency for you. It could be having to fly back home or getting a new computer. Once you have a number in mind, add about 5-10% for wiggle room.

5. Cultural Immersion

Moving and studying abroad means meeting and mingling with people from different cultures while exploring a whole new nation. It is important to be aware of the country you are moving to and research its culture and traditions.

While this may seem fun, it is a very important aspect of your move-in checklist.

• Start with a simple Google search about the country you are visiting and check out some popular places. If you can, ask friends around who live there or have been there for recommendations. 
• Then, create a list and look for discounts or days to go to some places for free. 
• Craft a flexible calendar with your days off and the places you want to visit.

You are ready for a fantastic stay abroad if you’ve done all these five things! Remember that your time abroad should be a fun and unique experience. So, make sure you feel great about your student accommodation, finances, and plans and always have these moving tips handy. Start to plan your stay abroad today by using these tips to create a solid move-in checklist and have a good trip! For more insights, check out our webstory on 5 tips for adjusting to life abroad!